Venetian blind



Mas, 27 1947' F ANDERSON ET AL ZZLS VENETIAN BLIND Filed Aug, 15' 1945 INVENToRs; F 'q/VJf/Uam 24 Patented May 27, i947 unir au: STATES VENETIAN BLIND.;

Park, Calif.

Application'Auguste, 194:5,` Serial Nn.-.6v10,456

This invention relates to improvements in Venetian blinds, and has for its object the provision of a blind of this character, fitted with slats which may be removed therefrom without disturbing the slat supporting and blind operating devices thereof. A further object is Ato provide convenient guiding devices for the slats, so constructed that they may be swung away from the blind when it is desired to detach or reseat the slats thereof. A still further object is to provide means for locking said guiding means in closed position, so as to make certain that they will not accidentally be moved out of position.

These and other objects of our invention will appear upon perusal of the following description, and drawings are hereto appended in which a preferred form of .the invention is illustrated. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevational interior View of a device embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a substantially 4corresponding end view of the device and with parts of the window framing, within which the device is mounted, broken away; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view showing one end of the device in its relation to the window framing.

In Venetian blinds, as or-dinarily constructed at the present time, the cords which are employed to raise the slats thereof lpass through perforations of the slats. The disadvantage of this construction is that it becomes necessary first to'remove these cords when it is desired to withdraw the slats for cleaning, repainting, or replacement. Various modifications have been introduced aiming `to overcome this difculty, one of which consists in grooving the ends of the slats and extending the pull cords through the grooved ends, thereby entirely eliminating the conventional slat perforations.

Venetian blinds are so easily swayed that even moderate wind pressure is suflicient to swing the blind clear of the window frame. During such swaying movements, the cords are apt to slip out of such end grooves and become entangled in the slats. In order to prevent such occurrence. it has been proposed to mount guides for the ends of the slats within the window casing, but as such guides permanently enclose the slat ends, it becomes necessary, in order to expose the slat ends for withdrawal of the cords from the grooves and the slats from the blind, to bend each slat until one end thereof clears the enclosing guide. This not only is a laborious operation but it is also fraught with danger of damaging or even destroying the slats. The structure of our invention is designed to eliminate all danger of ydamage to the slats as well as the 4painstaking operation of bending the slats, while still retaining the advantage of the end grooves therein, as will now be described.

The slats I are conventionally supported in tapes 2, which are fastened to the heavier top and bottom bars 3, 4. As in the modifications above referred to, the slats are grooved at the ends thereof, as indicated at 5, to receive the pull cords 6. As in the conventional construction, the blind is hung between the side mem-bers A, B of the window casing, on which are mounted the usual guide strips C for the lower sash D, whereupon facing members E are added to finish the frammg.

For installation in windows already in use, we provide additional facing strips 1 which, by means of hinges 8, are hung to swing on the facing members E, and these strips maintain the blind in position within the window framing. When it is desired to withdraw the slats for repairs or replacement, it is merely required to swing the strips 1 out of the way, as indicated at the right in Fig. 1 and in dotted lines in Fig. 3, and to draw the blind inward far enough to expose one end of the slats.

It is, of course, necessary to lock the facing strips l in closed position so that a strong draft or accidental pull on the blind will not swing the strips into open position. This may be accomplished in various ways. A conventional spring plunger 9 may be fitted into the bottom of each facing strip for seating in a recessed plate Ill of the window sill. A different way is horizontally to mount a facing plate Il at the top of the framing, on hinges'llZ and in position to overlap the upper ends of the vertical facing strips T. When this plate is swung into the dotted line position of Fig. 2, it is seen that the facing strips 1 are uncovered and may be swung open for slat removal.

We claim:

1. Guiding means for a Venetian blind mounted within a window casing comprising, facing strips hingedly secured to the side members of the window casing to enclose the ends of the blind slats and movable on their hinges away from the slats, and means for locking said strips in slat enclosing position.

2. Guiding means for a Venetian blind mounted within a window casing, the slats of which have notched ends and the lift cords thereof extending through the notches of the slats comprising, facing strips hingedly secured to the side members of the window casing to enclose the ends of said slats and movable on their hinges away from the slats, and means for locking said strips in slat enclosing position.

3. Guiding means for a Venetian blind mounted within a window casing comprising, facing strips hingedly secured to the side members of the window casing to enclose the ends of the blind slats and movable on their hinges away from the slats, and a facing plate horizontally mounted on hinges at the top of the casing to cover the upper ends of said facing strips to lock the latter in slat enclosing position.

4. Guiding means for a Venetian blind mounted within a window casing, the slats of which have notched ends and the lift cords of which pass through the notches of the slats comprising,

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,318,525 Renton May 4, 1943 1,577,574 Gassinger Mar. 23, 1926 

